Yemen's internationally recognized, Saudi-backed government accuses the Tehran-backed Houthi rebels of converting Iranian air defense weapons into cruise missiles with the assistance of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Experts state that if true, this move could alter the military balance in the Red Sea region. The Yemeni government warns that these missiles' infrared tracking capabilities pose a direct threat to civilian aviation in Yemen and critical Red Sea shipping lanes. The Houthis have recently escalated attacks on Saudi Arabia, with Saudi Arabia claiming last Thursday to have intercepted six ballistic missiles aimed at Taif and the port of Yanbu. The Houthis also claimed attacks on "sensitive targets" in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu. As the Red Sea has become a vital alternative oil export route for Saudi Arabia, this escalation could impact energy markets.